


3000 Times Yes

by Roxart



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, Happy Ending, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Insecure Steve Rogers, Insecure Tony, Insecure Tony Stark, Insecurity, M/M, Misunderstandings, Protective Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 19:38:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18817636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roxart/pseuds/Roxart
Summary: Spoiler Alert! This is an Endgame Fix-it so if you have not watched it, please stop reading now.Tony catches Steve watching Peggy through the blinds, and thinks that Steve is still in love with her.





	3000 Times Yes

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! This is an AU in which Pepper gets dusted so Tony and Steve get married instead. Hope you enjoy!

Pale blue eyes watched the cheery brunette through the window’s blinds. He was enraptured as he watched the figure speak to someone else in the room, mahogany brown curls bouncing as she moved. He felt a rush of emotions: nostalgia, surprise, curiosity, but most astonishingly, he did not feel love. 

 

 

 

 

 

As he continued to watch her, he realised that her smile no longer elicited butterflies in his stomach, nor did it set his insides on fire. He definitely did not feel so indifferent before the ice. Instead, all he could think about was mahogany curls that belonged to someone else entirely, and a smile that burned as brightly as a thousand suns. The thought of the object of his affections put a soft smile on his face. 

 

He missed her, sure, but she was no longer the one he loved. 

 

The door to the room opened and he jolted, turning around quickly. Speak of the devil. His smile only brightened when he saw his husband rush into the room, shutting the door behind him. 

 

“Hey babe,” Tony whispered, an eyebrow raised at the fond look on the blond’s face. “I saw you rush in here. I have the Tesseract, but we gotta bolt, I think they’re suspicious. Also, I met my dad!” He said in a rush, quelling the curiosity he had regarding Steve’s smile. 

 

“Howard?” At the mention of him, Steve’s face dropped, replaced by a frown. Uh oh. It was the Captain America frown. 

 

“I ought to punch some sense into that man. You haven’t been born in this time yet right? I’m going to have a talk with him about how he is about to treat you.” Steve growled, already marching towards the door. 

 

“Hey, whoa, easy there big guy,” Tony bodily blocked the door, his hands on Steve’s chest. “No messing up this timeline remember? Besides, we gotta go back, Earth needs us. Although, it is awfully sweet of you.”

 

“But he hurt you, Tony. I can’t let that happen to you again.” Steve whispered, watching as Tony’s face reddened. 

 

“As endearing as that is, Capsicle, what Howard did, made me  _me_. Whatever would I do if I was different and the you in this timeline doesn’t fall for the me here, my dear Captain? ” Tony teased, smiling softly up at Steve. The notion of Steve not liking Tony seemed to bewilder the blond. “Besides, I’m not worried about young Tony. I know his Steve will be there to pick up the pieces.”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous, love.” Steve replied, “Every Steve would love every Tony. Although I won’t deny that last part.”

 

The shorter man gave him a pointed look. 

 

“Okay, I get your point. Let’s go,” Steve opened the door despite Tony still blocking it, and peeked out, checking the corridor. 

 

The brunet giggled, looking over Steve’s shoulder. That’s when he saw her. Aunt Peggy. He felt a lurch in his stomach, remembering the fond way Steve was watching her when he walked into the room. He felt like he was going to throw up. 

 

~

 

They won. They defeated Thanos. They saved the World, and survived to tell the tale. Carol had snapped and did not feel any pain besides slight dizziness. Yet, why did he feel empty?

 

“TONY!” The genius turned to see his husband running toward him, tackling him to the ground. 

 

“Oof.” He grunted, Steve beaming down at him from his perch on Tony’s armour. “Careful old man, you could’ve broken my bones.”

 

“Nah, I know you were smart enough to build armour that can handle me jumping you,” Steve quipped, kissing his husband long and hard. 

 

“We won.” He said as they separated, bursting with adrenaline and excitement. He sat up and pulled the brunet up with him so that he was straddling Tony’s armour. “I gotta return the stones first but then after, we can celebrate _all night long_.” He winked at the brunet. 

 

“Actually..” Tony replied, gently nudging the taller man off him so that they could stand up. “I need to talk to you.”

 

“Oh?” Steve frowned, worried about Tony’s less-than-enthusiastic reaction to saving _the freaking World_ , before he became alarmed. “Did he hurt you? Are you bleeding?” Steve ran his hands frantically over Tony’s body, trying to find the release hatch. 

 

“No, no I’m fine,” Tony brushed Steve’s hands off him, ignoring his confused and slightly hurt look. 

 

“I errr...” Tony started, “I don’t know how I’m going to say this...”

 

“Are you breaking up with me?” The blond teased, grinning despite Tony’s behaviour setting off his insecurities. 

 

“Actually yeah,” The shorter man tried to ignore the way the smile dropped off his love’s face. 

 

“Look, it’s not you alright. I just saw the way you _looked_  at Peggy when we were getting the Pym Particles and the Tesseract and I know you settled for me, but that was before we found a way to time jump. I know love when I see it, and I saw it in your face in that room. If your Christian beliefs makes you not believe in divorce or whatever, don’t worry about it, it’s not like we had an actual wedding ceremony after the snap.” The genius was rambling as fast as he could, wanting to get away as soon as possible. He watched as Steve stared at him wide-eyed and speechless, mistaking it for Steve being guilty that he was right. 

 

“Wait Tony, what do you mean what you saw? What did you see?”

 

“I saw the way you looked at Peggy alright! You were smiling and you had this endearing, fond look on your face, the one you usually look at me with in the morning.” Tony snapped, angrily. Why didn’t Steve just let it go? He was already letting him off the hook. 

 

“Wait, you can’t be serious. You’re joking right?” Steve chuckled nervously. There was no way he was losing his husband because of a silly misunderstanding. “Tony, I wasn’t-“

 

“JUST LEAVE IT, STEVE.” Tony yelled, attracting the attention of the others in the battlefield. The laughter stopped, and heads turned to watch the Avenger’s two leaders in stunned silence. “I’ve had enough. I wish you the best in your future with Peggy.”

 

“Tony, WAIT!” Steve shouted, but it was too late, the brunet had already blasted off. 

 

Tony has had written a breakup speech one too many times in his youth, yet none of them have made him feel half as broken as he did now. 

 

~

 

“Sir.”

 

Tony sighed. 

 

“What is it, FRIDAY?”

 

“Captain Rogers has been sitting outside your lab for nearly 3 hours demanding to be let in. I suggest you listen to what he has to say, sir.” If an Artificial Intelligence could sound disapproving, this was it. 

 

“Doesn’t he have to go return the stones so that the other timeline isn’t doomed or something?” There was a pause and Tony thought it was the end of it, before FRIDAY spoke up again. 

 

“He says that yes he does, and if you do not open this door, he will continue waiting and if the other timeline suffers, it’s on you.” FRIDAY sounded vaguely amused as Tony let out a string of vulgarities under his breath. 

 

“That’s cheating! FRIDAY, tell him that’s a cheap trick and completely guilt-tripping!” Tony yelled, yet he couldn’t help the slight feeling of happiness that bloomed in his chest knowing that Steve still cared. 

 

“I suggest you let him in, sir. He is being rather adamant.”

 

“Fine, let him in,” Tony grumbled under his breath as the door swished open. Maybe one day, he will be able to say no to the damn Captain. 

 

“Tony, I swear, you are a gigantic idiot.” Steve began, marching towards and glaring at the brunet. 

 

“Hey Capsicle, what can I do for you? Don’t you have Peggy waiting for you? Also, if you don’t return the stones on time-“ The Captain rolled his eyes, grabbing Tony and kissing him, effectively shutting him up. “Now will you listen?”

 

Tony could only nod. 

 

“What you saw in there, wasn’t because of Peggy. I was looking at Peggy yes but the smile wasn’t  _for_  her. It was for you, Shell-head. I was wondering why looking at her didn’t give me feelings that I used to get, but I already knew the answer. It is because I’m so completely irrevocably in love with you. When you walked into the room, I was already thinking of you, which was why I was smiling. Now, do you understand?” Steve knocked his partner on the head lightly. “For a genius, you can be pretty stupid.”

 

“Hey! I am a  _certified_ genius. I _invented_ time travel. It’s just that I get a little stupid when it comes to you. After all these years, I still can't believe I landed _Captain Fucking America._ ” Steve grinned affectionately, kissing Tony on the cheek. “I’ll accept that apology.”

 

“Anyway, don’t you have the other timeline to save? What are you still doing here?” The shorter man asked incredulously, pushing Steve back. 

 

“Well I couldn’t exactly leave when my husband thinks I don’t love him, could I? Not when you thought I was going to leave you for an old flame.” 

 

Tony scoffed, though his cheeks were tinted red. 

 

“Can one man really be worth the fate of the entire universe?” He joked. 

 

Steve cradled Tony’s face in one palm, lifting his husband’s face so that Tony was looking at him. “If that man is you, 3000 times yes.”

 

Tony remained hesitant, his eyes running over every inch of Steve’s face, searching. For sincerity, for a lie, for something. Steve felt his heart squeeze at the thought that he made his partner feel this insecure. 

 

“If you’re serious, if you’re really asking me to stay with you, Rogers, I swear, I am  _never_ letting you go again.”

 

The brunet looked up at Steve, eyes full of hope and insecurities. The air was palpitating with tension, and it reminded the blond so much of their first meeting on the helicarrier. Back then, he thought that Tony would be the death of him. Now, he knew it to be true, but for an entirely different reason. He smiled down at Tony fondly, thumb stroking his cheek. 

 

“I’m 100% serious, Stark. I wouldn’t trade you, I wouldn’t trade  _this_ ,” Steve took Tony’s hand in his free one, kissing his knuckles for emphasis,” for anything. Not for humanity, not for Bucky, and certainly not for Peggy. I would love and take care of you for the rest of my life, if you would have me.”

 

The smile Steve received was blinding, and he squeezed Tony’s hand tightly. “Then you’re _mine_ , Rogers. I’m never letting you run from me.”

 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Steve tilted Tony’s head upwards and kissed him passionately, letting all the pent-up feelings and emotions he couldn’t express with words seep into the kiss. The whimper he elicited from the shorter man was completely worth it. They separated when Tony’s need to breathe became apparent, and he pressed a kiss to Tony’s forehead. 

 

“Come with me. We can return the stones together. I can’t spend another minute without you by my side.”

 

“What if someone needs me back here?”

 

“I’m sure Earth can survive without its mightiest protector for a minute. I know I can’t.” Steve whispered against Tony’s lips. 

 

“Sweet-talker.” Steve smirked, brushing his nose against Tony’s. 

 

“So will you?”

 

“Of course I would, Cap. I’d follow you to the ends of the Earth if you asked me to.” Tony stated matter-of-factly. 

 

Steve chuckled. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: The beautiful quote "Can one man be worth an entire universe?" is not mine! I got it from a Star Trek fanart, but have since lost it. If anyone can tell me who the original artist is, I'd love to credit them! 
> 
> Hope you all have enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it :)


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